Chapter 3
Luna had been the source. She could find out any information, and that was how they stayed ahead and alive. She wasn't a seer as it was expected, but rather that she had access to any and all information. Luna Lovegood was the physical embodiment of Knowledge is Power. Ron Weasley was the heart of the group, but that was not to say he was any less necessary and crucial to their relative success. While Luna knew the facts, Ronn knew people. He could know a person and his sparkling blue eyes just about saw through them. Hermione was the planner. She couldn't see the future, but her quick mind calculated what was going to happen. Hermione was the planner, the realist, and none of her plans failed, because she only aimed for realistic ones. Past, present, and future. Luna, Ron, and Hermione. And Lilith endured throughout it all.
Together, the four had figured the reality of it all. There was no way all four of them would survive. Finding the Deathly Hallows, all three of them after Dumbledore willed them his wand, was the point when they confirmed their plan. All of them had made their peace with never knowing if they would survive the next minute.
The Deathly Hallows could be the ultimate protection for one of them, if the artifacts semi-sentient nature accepted their possessor, would grant one an audience with death itself, the primordial. And Deaths Avatar, Death's Master, Deaths Chosen, whatever name they got, was as immortal as Death. Immortality was as much a blessing as a curse, but it also meant the immortal one could continue the group's true life work. They might have been only sixteen, but they were war-hardened, and they understood things few others could. They understood where Voldemort had gotten trained in the dark arts and gotten the resources for his purge. Grindelwald’s Hydra lived on, and were ready to worship any magical that seized control.
The group, most of their morals gone by that point, made a decision. Lilith's Asgardian blood would heavily increase the possibility of her succeeding the moment their plan hinged on.
The others accepted they would likely die, but then the rest of Hermione's plan would work. Tony Stark was in a position of power and he would help. Hermione had one last thing in her plan. “The Twins strongest invention.”
They were all shocked. The twins had enough inventions to win half the war. But the invention was the strongest. It was a potion that could give a muggle side effects of Magic. Longevity. Increased healing. Possibly even a bit more.
And Hermione’s minimal remaining sentimentality came to a head here. There was only one copy of the potion, and no way to recreate it. Hermione stood firm on Tony getting it, and it formulated her best plan yet. The potion would get strengthened with Lilith's blood, but it would also create a heightened Amortentia. Irreversible and perfect, without amortentia’s flaws. Lilith would be immortal, Tony close to it, and Hermione got to play matchmaker while keeping two of her favorite people safe. And the best part was, it would be a balanced place for Teddy.
In the end, it worked. Dumbledore was right when he said Death was but the great adventure, so Lilith didn't mourn. She grew. The pain and struggles only made her stronger and cemented her desire.
As Ron had said, in one of his moments of strategic genius, “Voldemort and all death eaters and supporters die. That is non negotiable. But what's to say we will actually succeed in taking down Hydra?”
“Nothing. We might not.” Hermione said. “What are you saying, Ron? If you can't beat them, join them? The organization that ordered the kill order on my father?”
“Oh, the people involved in your father's murder wont survive. That I know.”
“Ron, we're not becoming Hydra grunts.” Luna said.
“Nobody said anything about that. If you can't conquer them, rule them. You have to admit the network is immense and with a little tweaking their goals could match ours. Protecting the world. Ending its threats.”
“They will worship anyone who claims to be magical, much less a real wizard. Or witch.”
“Especially a parseltongue.” Hermione finished. “Control every head of the Hydra by seizing its heart.”
“Exactly.” They exchanged nods, and their plans cemented.
But now that she was here, Tony temporarily unconscious and with their plans nearly completed, Lilith had a brainwave. Why should she do all the work, when there was someone better she could use?
She knew about SHIELD, the ones who turned a blind eye to both Blood Wars because they were infested with Hydra. But Hydra was already a symbol, a symbol of evil to the world, even to ordinary civilians, and she knew that those hurdles would be a real challenge to overcome. Instead, she would use the same organization, under a different name.
She had been collecting her magic for a while, making sure she had her infinite reserves filled with a good amount of magic. Good enough for what she was going to do. Magic was all about intent, the best of wizards could not only do magic silently, but say one thing and cast a completely different spell. Her intent here should be enough. It was going to be a message, to the Director of SHIELD, because SHIELD was regarded as the ultimate good, and with their reputation and Hydra’s resources, their ultimate plan would succeed.
Protect the world, not only from itself, but from everything else.
She sent her magic into a piece of parchment that would send a message, to overlay over his vision, as well as provide her with a screen to show his reaction and response. It was an altered version of the spell young Tom had used in the Chamber of Secrets the first time she had gone down there.
Hello, Director. She wrote. The quill was one of the twins' earlier inventions, anyone who wrote with it would have the same handwriting, and only if they wrote with the quill.
“What the fuck is this.” he demanded. “Where is the laser projection coming from?” He demanded as he turned, yet the words hovered in front of his vision. She scratched it out and it faded from his view.
You already know this is more than some laser projection, Director. What I want to know is whether or not you’re willing to put aside my anonymity for a working relationship.
“Who are you and what do you want? And how are you projecting this when my cameras don’t show anything. How are you seeing and hearing me for the matter.”
You don’t need to speak out loud. You can just write your responses to me. I can see you the same way you can see my words.
“What do you want.”
I have information and we both have the same enemies and the same goals. I just see you already have the ways of achieving those common goals, while I have the information necessary to do so.
“Again. What do you want.”
Hydra isn’t gone. It’s far more extensive than either of us, apart or together could eradicate, even with all of your resources. Most of your agency are double agents. A friend of mine said, “If you can't conquer them, rule them.” You have to admit the network is immense and with a little tweaking their goals could match ours. Protecting the world. Ending its threats.” Hydra would do far more good if instead of chopping off endless heads, we could conquer it’s heart and bend it to working for us, instead of us unwittingly ending up working for them.
Fury penned out an angry No. on the first piece of paper he found.
Deirdre Jasper. James Curmno. Maria Denison.
What are those names
Hydra agents. A little information gift. Not to mention all those absorbed under Project Paperclip. Would you give up the chance to have use of the Winter Soldier? To be able to stop having to fight an uphill battle to protect people who are too stubborn to accept your help until it’s too late?
SHIELD Protects. If you want people who force their help on others, take MACUSA or the Aurors of the Unspeakables.
They’re gone, Fury. And they’re never coming back. It’s been three months since the Xenocide, and there are none left. Magic, or at least that type of magic is gone, completely and utterly. Hate to break it to you, but there is no backup. There is only me, you, and whatever power we can muster.
You sound like you’re trying to take over the world.
I don’t need you for global domination, even if I were to go that way. I need SHIELD’s reputation, and I need Hydra’s manpower. The question is, what are you willing to do to keep it?
Thanks for the information, but I have some moles to root out. I won’t be joining them, I’ll defeat Hydra instead.
You’re no Hercules, Fury. Don’t fool yourself. This is your last chance.
What are you going to do? Kill me? SHIELD will live on.
I won’t kill you, it’s a waste of my efforts, especially considering you likely won’t die anyways. I'm doing this, with or without you. Enjoy being left in the dark, Fury because this was your only chance.
She cut off the communication. He was out. She realized she had always known it would be the original plan that would work anyways.
And as Tony awoke, she settled herself for an interesting time ahead.